The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1887-03-10
Flowing Under Corn.

In the ONO Farmer, MIR. waldo
Brown discusses the question: Shall we
plow under clover? He says: Farmers
living near city or large town, where
there is demand for clover hay and q
cash market, and at such distance that
they can make round trip in day, can
afford to cut and take it to market; but
the man remote from market must take
into consideration the two facts, that
farm produce of all kinds is selling low,
and cattle exceptionally 80, and farm
labor is as high as it was when we av-
eraged from thirty to fifty per cent. more
for what we sold. How much can we
make to pay 81 day for farm help and
sell two. year-old cattle-nice, smooth,
well.bred cattle at that-at from So to
$3.50 per 100! And these have been
the best prices obtainable in our markets
this fall, and are now, and how much
can be made to feed cattle another year,
for an advance of less than cent per
pound2 l know that there are thousands
of farmers who winter cattle, and who
could not sell them in the spring for So
q head more than they would have
brought in the fall. L have adopted these
rules on my farm. First, to SOW clover
with all small grain, and average about
twenty. five acres year with but sixty
acres of plowcd land. Second, never to
pasture the clover at all, but to let it
make its full growth, from harvest to
cold weather. If the landis to be put
in corn or potatoes. the next season, all
this growth is allowed to stand till
spring, when it is turned under or burned
and the ashes plowed down. If the field
is to be cut down for seed the next year,
it is not safe to allow too heavy q
growth, rs it may smother out the crop,
so in this case we cut it about the time
it begins to show blossoms and allow it
to lie on the ground, and the next growth
grows through it. Third, sow the
mammoth clover for seed, because-lst.
I do net wish any clover hay. I'd. 1t
yields more ser d and more haulm to be
used as fertilizer. I'd. As it seeds in
the first crop it is ready to cut early in
Augu t, when there is little risk Of bad
weather for curing and threshing, and
when the hullers are not pushed with
work, and the crop is taken off early
enough to give time to prepare the land
for wheat, and seed 1t in good time, for
I do not allow the crop to stand second
year.
81 do not assert that crop of clover
that grows between wheat harvest and
frost in the. fall to its full development,
is of as much value as fertilizer, as if
it were left to make a spring growth and
be turned under the next June, although
I sec but little difference. But in one
case the cost is only seed and sowing
and in the other we must add years
rent of the land. think fall growth
of clover for blowing down is always
profitable. while to lose a seasons cult
vation of the land to grow the crop might
not be. Of one thing ! am sure, I am
keeping my land in better condition
under my present plan of blowing down
clover, than when bought manure at
the village, and it cost me, counting a
hand and team as worth $3.50 per day,
over $l5 an acre to manure my land. l
shall continue to grow clover for the
express purpose of plowing it under on
one-third or more of my pillow land until
I find it unp: oftable, and think that
will be as long as l live"